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<title>we were too close to the stars by HelenaMcCord</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27623212">we were too close to the stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelenaMcCord/pseuds/HelenaMcCord'>HelenaMcCord</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday Fluff, F/M, Fluff, mild angst?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:34:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27623212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelenaMcCord/pseuds/HelenaMcCord</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>River just wants one thing for her birthday.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eleventh Doctor/River Song</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>we were too close to the stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title from reflections by the neighbourhood.</p>
<p>i know it isn't river's birthday, but it is mine so i wanted to write a little birthday fluff! i hope you all like this!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Waking up aboard the TARDIS was a rare occasion. But waking up with the Doctor still by her side was even more of a rarity. The lights within their bedroom began to brighten, telling its occupants that what they would consider morning was upon them, causing River to stir from her blissful slumber. She was having the most brilliant dream of her and the Doctor finally standing before the Singing Towers of Darillium. What a day that would be. Hopefully soon. Blue-green eyes slowly fluttered open, the remnants of the dream still hanging in her mind. River expected the bed to be empty. The Doctor hardly ever slept and almost always left their bed as soon as he was sure River was sound asleep. So it was a pleasant surprise to feel the warmth of his left arm slung across her bare midsection and his face burrowed in her golden curls. He often compared her to the sun, her hair like a halo and her smile like the rays of light. It made butterflies flutter in her stomach. Not that she’d ever admit it. She gave a small hum of contentment before crawling deeper into his embrace. Not a moment later, he began to stir, his own hazel eyes opening ever so slowly. He was awfully cute in the morning. She bit her lip, biting back a smile. “Morning, sweetie,” River said, her voice hoarse with sleep and something rather indecent, though she was never one to kiss and tell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor gave a soft grumble before adjusting himself up on an elbow so he could properly look at his wife. Wife. Such a new word on this tongue. Their wedding was recent for him, only a few months ago. He hasn’t had anyone to call a wife since the days of Gallifrey with his first family. It feels natural with River. River herself is quite pleased she’s with this version of her husband. One that knows who she is. Fewer spoilers that way. He brushes her nose, watching in delight as her features scrunch up, before offering a smile. “Good morning, Mrs. Robison,” He teases, practically hearing the roll of her eyes. He leans down, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Happy birthday, dear.” Her eyes begin to glisten ever so slightly, hearts swelling. It was always nice when he remembered and now it meant something new entirely. Birthdays used to mean nothing but misery for a young Melody Pond. Madame Kovarian made it very clear that with each birthday she was another year closer to killing the Doctor and another year without the parents she was taught to hate. Kovarian would give her especially horrific nightmares those nights. The Doctor showed her tenderness and fun on birthdays now. She began to look forward to them. River giggles. “Thank you, my love. Any plans or are we bedridden for it? Not that I’m complaining,” She purrs, delighting in the blush taking place on her husband’s cheekbones.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor coughs for a moment before shaking his head, floppy brown locks falling in front of his face. He was so adorable this time around. She definitely had this regeneration in the top five. He was so eager to please, yet so shy at the same time. It was enticing. “Erm, that’s not what I had in mind, but if that’s what you’d like then by all means!” He fumbles with his words for a moment before continuing on, “I actually thought I might take you dancing on a planet that’s quite like Calderon Beta, only the stars are there even when the sun is out, though I can’t remember why that is. Anyway- the stars blend perfectly into their sky which is almost like a permanent sunset and the people hold magnificent parties full of dancing and-” The Doctor stopped talking once he felt River’s burning stare. Usually, he understood why she might give him that look, but at the moment it really made no sort of sense. He shifted so he was on his back, waiting for her to curl into his side and tell him what he had done this time. Instead, River made to get out of bed and dressed in one of his shirts and her long forgotten knickers from the night before. Still puzzled, the Doctor looked at her with questions wandering in his eyes. “What if we just stayed in this time? I… I find myself wishing we had more time together in a more domestic sense, so just today we stay home together,” His wife said, her voice barely above a whisper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mind is lost in the sight of his wife wrapped in his shirt, her beautiful curls a mess from sleep. There was nothing like River Song in the morning. She let a small flutter of a smile pass her features when she felt his eyes on her, standing at the foot of their bed. When she turned to face him while fixing her hair, he gave her a beaming grin and nodded. “Of course, dear, anything for you on your special day.” Oh, how her love for him grew even more in that moment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They rarely had quiet moments where they could at least pretend they were a normal couple. Like they were linear and the fear of spoilers didn’t constantly hang over them, like secrets of identities and events didn’t have to be secrets, like they had a normal routine of waking up in each other’s arms, like it was the Doctor and River, time and space. But days like today, her birthday, she got to set the pace. And today she found herself longing for that sense of false security for however long it lasted. It could have lasted forever on the technicality that they were in a time machine. Time was a construct. Rule number four hundred eight: Time is not the boss of you. But she knew better. They both did. No matter how badly they wanted it and no matter how hard they tried, they could not permit themselves more time than necessary. It would cost them more meetings in their respective futures or pasts. It was an ache she was used to having in her hearts, but it hurt more and more each time she saw him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As she pulled him out of bed to find a kitchen for tea, River decided this birthday would be her favorite.</span>
</p>
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